Snowy Range Winter Use Project
 

Working Group Members

Meeting Notes

Final Report from initial working group sessions July to December, 2001

Winter recreation in the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests has increased steadily in the last decade, especially in the Green Rock area of the Snowy Range west of Centennial, Wyoming. This rapid growth has generated many user conflicts and issues. At the request of the Forest Service, the UW Institute for Environment and Natural Resources convened public meetings during the summer and fall of 2001 to bring winter users together to air the issues and generate ideas on how to deal with the conflicts.

 The Forest Service felt that changes are needed beginning in the 2001-2002 winter season, and they would like the public's help in figuring out what those changes should be.  Several other National Forests in the West are dealing with similar winter use issues and we can learn from their experiences, but every area is different and we want to develop solutions specifically for the Snowy Range. 

A public meeting was held on June 21, 2001 in Laramie to give the public a chance to write comments on several topics and to volunteer for a working group.  A working group of 29 people was formed and held 10 meetings between July and October to begin addressing the issues.  Please follow the links above to view a list of working group members and the meeting notes.  The working group released their final report in December, 2001.  Some group members plan to continue meeting informally in 2002, and to work with the Forest Service to monitor and evaluate results of the group's education plan and of responses to the new signs in the Green Rock area.

Please follow the links below to view written comments from the June 21, 2001 public meeting.  Choice of the main topic areas was based on comments the Forest Service has been receiving about winter use issues in the Snowy Range.

Trails and Backcountry -- Issues
Trails and Backcountry -- Suggestions

Businesses & Suppliers -- Issues
Businesses & Suppliers -- Suggestions

Neighbors & Local Communities -- Issues
Neighbors & Local Communities -- Suggestions

User Conflicts -- Issues
User Conflicts -- Suggestions

Regulations -- Issues
Regulations -- Suggestions

Environment -- Issues
Environment -- Suggestions

Parking -- Issues
Parking -- Suggestions